[at-l] Re: CPR Useless?

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Ga. Dawg wrote:
>You know, I just gotta say something here.
>
>Regardless of the chances of survival, isn't the right thing to do to
>try and help your fellow man. Morally as well as medically, it’s the
>right thing to do.
>


Dawg -
I don't think anyone was arguing that you shouldn't try - but a lot of 
people seem to think CPR is some kind of "silver bullet" that'll save all 
the victims of heart attack, lightning strikes ...... whatever.  And it 
ain't that simple.  If most of those who think that way would get some 
actual training, most of that attitude would die a natural death.

Some of us have taken this opportunity to urge everyone who intends to spend 
any time outdoors to go get trained.  Personally, I don't tell people to go 
get training just for the hell of it.  CPR may be a long shot - you may be 
buckin' the odds - it may not work most of the time ----- but if it can save 
just one life - is it worth it?  I think so.  Especially if it's the life of 
someone you care about.  The same comments apply to Wilderness First Aid 
(which is different from Red Cross First Aid).   Ginny and I have both had 
injuries that required first aid while we were on the AT, the PCT and the 
CDT - among other places.  There's a reason we go back for certification 
every time we prepare for another long trail.

For CPR - the message is - get the training, use it if you have to - but 
unless you're directly related to God, don't expect it to work all the time, 
in every situation, for all patients.

For First Aid - the message is - get the training, use it if you have to and 
be thankful if you don't need it.

As Weary pointed out - the end result of CPR may not be all you (or the 
patient) would like it to be.  That's true - but so what?  You can't win if 
you don't try - and neither can the patient.  And from a personal viewpoint 
- "life" is always better than the alternative.  I had a boss one time who 
kept saying - "Give yourself a chance to be lucky."  I still think that's a 
great attitude.  But it requires both thought and work (and training).

The bottom line?  I think OB said it best -
>You do the best you can. You do it as long as you are
>able, physically and emotionally. You do not kill
>yourself in the process. You do not call your
>insurance agent to get permission to stop. You do not
>consider yourself a failure or a hero afterward. You
>just follow your training.

But you've gotta get the training before you can use it.  So go get it.

Hmmm - one last comment for OB - my "angst" is reserved for those situations 
that you describe as "euthanasia for dummies."    And I hope never to see 
another one of those.

And finally - if this conversation is gonna wander off into "universal 
health care" - I'm really glad I'm leaving for 2 weeks.  Ya'll have fun with 
it.

Walk softly,
Jim

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